Design index

This research report titled ‘What client’s think’ is based on 500 individual client interviews conducted on behalf of (and paid for by) UK design agencies. We think the results are relevant to the Australian design community and worth sharing.

We’ve been working with designers to discover their ‘onlyness’ and that reminded me of the research I did in a previous life. It’s still relevant so I thought I would share…

Great pitchers don’t just chuck the ball in the general direction of the plate. They lean back and pitch it with all their might at a well-researched target with a well-researched strategy. They have a clear goal in sight.

In a truly collaborative studio, all opinions are treated equally and with respect. Problem is, that relies on everyone sharing their opinion and that doesn’t always happen.

Step away from the computer If there is one thing  we've learnt from hosting two years of 'designerly' breakfasts in downtown Melbourne, Australia; it's the value of simply stepping away from your computer to share / talk / eat with other creatives.  As one breakfaster wrote in an email this week: for me, the breakfasts [...]

The facts about sprints There is a lot of time invested devising methods to work smarter, more efficiently and more effectively. Some see the answer in design sprints – methodology aimed at getting more work out of the building, faster. Do they work? Busy-ness looks effective. It looks like you are getting stuff done. When you [...]

Designing the stress free studio Some say a 'stress free studio' is an oxymoron. From our first weeks in a design course we are told we have to be creative; and meet deadline. This continues into our working life as one of the elements that causes mental health issues. There has been much written, spoken [...]

Studio culture and job descriptions Much of my work in the Chairman program is with businesses who want to change. I work with forward-thinking studio owners who recognise they can’t keep doing the same thing for the next 10 years. The plans for this change are generally well thought through; they have a positioning to [...]

Why policies and procedures save money. It’s a common misconception that policies and procedures are only necessary when a studio reaches ‘maturity’, be that in structure or in longevity. That’s not true. Well written policies and procedures save money. They are the backbone of a truly sustainable design firm because they allow everyone to work [...]

Monthly meetings where designers talk business. Get up. Get out of your studio and talk business with others. Analyse things that are broken. Explore solutions. Talk to other designers. Collaborate. Share. We’ve run a breakfast session for designers for the past two years. A session where problems are tabled and solved, all over toast and [...]

Are you really innovative? Who doesn’t want to be innovative? It may not be your positioning statement or used prominently on your web site but for a design business, it’s a mandatory requisite. To be called a creative agency you have to be innovative. Client’s expect it. Truly innovative design businesses get more work. They [...]

Why studio management comes before design Being a great designer doesn't automatically bring in clients. Nor does it transform a once-off client into returning revenue. When you boil it down to the basics, you've got to sell before you get to design. We sell ideas using design that gives clients an outcome – it may [...]